Donohue Wants Ocean City GOP Leader To Join Him in Assembly Race

RELEASE FROM ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE MIKE DONOHUE:
OCEAN CITY — First District GOP nominee Mike Donohue announced today his strong support for Ocean City resident John McCann to fill the vacancy on GOP Assembly ticket created by the withdrawal of Frank Conrad.
“Frank Conrad is a terrific leader, and was a great running mate, and I’m sorry to have him leave the ticket,” said Donohue. “I wish it weren’t so, but Frank’s candidacy is another casualty of the Corzine economy.
“The good news,” Donohue continued, “is that over the last 48 hours, as I’ve discussed the situation with local GOP leaders, one man has emerged as a leader with solid backing across the entire district — John McCann, a proven and tested community and business leader in Ocean City. I’ve asked John if he would consider running with me, and he’s agreed.
“So I’m looking forward to the Special Leaders Meeting Cape May County GOP Chairman Von Savage has called for Wednesday — I’ll be urging my fellow Republicans to support John McCann. With a Donohue/McCann ticket, the Republican Party will be putting forth a strong and united team for the fall campaign.”
“Frank Conrad’s withdrawal is regrettable,” said McCann. “Unfortunately for him and other New Jersey small business owners, the Democrats and the Corzine Administration have closed the doors for them. We all knew the Democrats’ love for higher taxes and more regulation was a driving force behind so many New Jerseyans shutting down their businesses and leaving, but this is getting out of hand.
“Here in the 1st District it is business that creates the jobs, pays the healthcare and maintains our quality of life,” McCann continued. “Democrats in Trenton have stalled our economic engine. We need representatives in Trenton who will walk the walk, not just talk the20talk.
“Mike Donohue and I will take the fight for the residents of the 1st District directly to the source.”
Conrad cited the difficulties facing small business owners in New Jersey as the reason necessitating his withdrawal.
“It is with great regret that I cannot continue as a candidate for Assembly,” Conrad said. “Like many small business owners in New Jersey, my business is facing serious challenges in these hard economic times. My wife Liz and I have made this difficult decision in consideration of the best interest of our family and the Assembly campaign,” said Conrad.
“But I agree with Mike — John McCann is a proven leader, a guy who, like me, knows what it takes to actually create jobs and meet a payroll,” Conrad declared. “He’ll provide the kind of small business perspective we need more of in Trenton. I strongly endorse his candidacy to replace me on the ticket.”
Cumberland County GOP Chairman Robert Greco sent a letter to McCann earlier today confirming McCann as Cumberland’s choice to fill the vacancy created by Conrad’s withdrawal.
McCann is a past president of the Cape May County Board of Realtors. He currently sits on the New Jersey Real Estate Appraisal Board, and has recently joined the Cape May County Board of Taxation. He is a past director of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. He is a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus and a founding member of the South Jersey Rowers Association.
McCann is the Municipal GOP Chair of Ocean City. He served as Cape20May County coordinator for Tom Kean for US Senate in ‘07, LoBiondo for Congress County Chair in 08 and currently heads up the Cape May County campaign for Chris Christie.
John McCann and his wife Kathie reside in Ocean City with their two children, Myra and Sean.